New concrete technology can be crack resistant

There are many reasons why concrete can crack, and the good news is this can entirely be prevented. Thanks to the new technology in concrete mix, some types of concrete can resist the all-too-common unsightly gaps. National Ready Mix Concrete Association

New Atlas shared this New Generation Concrete Technology that bends instead of cracks.

“Concrete may generally be a good choice for sidewalks, but it is a brittle material – this means that it needs to be poured thick, in order to keep those sidewalks from cracking under pressure. Scientists from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, however, are developing an alternative. They’ve created bendable concrete that they say could be easily applied in the form of relatively thin, light paving slabs.”

Other means to prevent cracking

The website Commercial Real Estate shared information on how to prevent cracking.

“There are technologies that can address the problem of steel corrosion, such as cathodic protection, in which the entire structure is connected to a rust-inhibiting electric current. There are also interesting new methods to monitor corrosion, by electrical or acoustic means. Another option is to treat the concrete with a rust-inhibiting compound, although these can be toxic and inappropriate for buildings. There are several new non-toxic inhibitors, including compounds extracted from bamboo and bacterially derived ‘biomolecules.’”

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For the website The Constructor, prevention is the key in avoiding cracks in concrete.

“A low water cement ratio will affect the quality of concrete. W/C ratio is weight of water to the weight of cement used. A lower w/c ratio leads to high strength in concrete and lesser cracks. W/C ratio shall not exceed 0.5 in concreting, which reduces the workability of concrete which can be covered by use of plasticizer or superplasticizer. Less water content increases the durability of concrete Concrete expands and shrinks with changes in moisture and temperature. The overall tendency is to shrink. Shrinkage is the main cause of cracks, when concrete hardens it evaporates the excess water and thus shrinks, so lesser the water content, lesser is the shrinkage.”

Media outfit WPXI published a report that will make just about anyone’s jaw drop — a concrete mixer being driven by an 11-year old boy.

“The boy flew through town, reaching speeds up to 70 mph and hitting both a Minnesota State Patrol car and Kasson Police car. The truck’s front right tire went flat, but the ride didn’t stop there. The boy drove off the highway and went back to the side streets of his hometown.”

Heart-breaking Sight

DiamondAce Concrete Company The Times of India meantime featured the story of a police officer who was seen comforting a horse who had been hit by a cement truck.

“The Houston Police Department is mourning the death of one of their beloved patrol horses — Charlotte. The HPD Mounted Patrol house died in the line of duty on December 3 after she was struck in a motor vehicle accident.”

Crushed

Autoblog meantime shared an article on a sports car that had been crushed by a concrete mixer.

“Three people were severely injured in the crash, one critically. All were taken to area hospitals and are recovering from their injuries. The fact that the driver and passengers survived such a catastrophic crash is a testament to the i8’s safety. The carbon-fiber body and aluminum chassis held up remarkably well under such an intense crash. For those of you who find this sight too terrible to behold, check out the video below for some happier times with the i8.”

“While concrete is definitely a hard and durable surface, many people fail to realize that it is at the same time a porous surface. One of its biggest enemies is water, whether in the form of rain, snow, hail or ice. Over time, exposure to water causes the surface of the concrete to flake and chip. Normal weather conditions will cause the problem to worsen and can lead to the development of cracks in your concrete. Eventually, dust, dirt, and seeds will gather in the cracks. This is the ideal environment for grass and other weeds to grow. When this happens, the cracks become deeper and wider. When they freeze and thaw in cold weather, the concrete around the cracks can heave, creating an uneven and possibly dangerous walking surface.”

Concrete Floor Care

“Polished concrete floors are an attractive choice for any industrial or pharmaceutical warehouse. Polished concrete floors can be personalized to fit your business’s needs with custom colors to match existing decor, logos, and lines to manage traffic flow. With proper care, a polished concrete floor should maintain its sheen for many years before needing another polishing. You may think that because these floors are tough that you can skimp on maintenance. We have four maintenance tips that you should never overlook.”

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Tilestonesource for its part shared ways to care for outdoor concrete.

“Seal it up! If you haven’t sealed your exterior stone in the last 5 years, it’s time. With the current laws governing VOCs, we can say good-bye to stinky, toxic sealers of the past. Much better products have made their way to center-stage that offer superior protection.”

“Shrinkage can cause cracking if not controlled during mix design and curing stage. Shrinkage can become critical in high strength concrete because of low water/cement ratio and also because of use of Mineral Admixtures.”

More reasons

“How is it possible that the concrete that looks so stable and gorgeous in this backyard will certainly crack somewhere as the years go by? Forces such as soil upheaval, expansion and freeze-and-thaw cycles all guarantee that your perfect concrete patio won’t stay perfect forever.But more immediate forces are most commonly responsible for the early, hairline cracks that can blight concrete slabs almost as soon as they’re poured.”

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The website Techeblog.com meatime featured a solution to cracking concretes in one of its published posts.

“Fixing cracks in concrete can be a real pain, but thanks to scientists in the Netherlands, lead by Henk Jonkers, that will be a thing of the past. The team has created a bio-concrete blend with water-activated bacteria – kept in tiny pellets – that can patch up small cracks and holes in cement. That’s right, the bacteria would eat food provided in the concrete mixture to combine calcium with oxygen and carbon dioxide to form limestone”

The website Architizer featured concrete facades that are just plain stunning.

“The announcement of Eduardo Souto de Moura as the 2011 Pritzker Prize Laureate brought renewed attention to Portugal’s architecture and its inventive use of concrete. The following group of projects examines new forms being built across the country, incorporating diverse programs, scales, and environmental conditions. Utilizing various combinations of aggregates, textures, and reinforcing materials, the designs all explore how we experience envelopes and the liminal condition between interior and exterior space.”

Concrete Example of Creative Work

Contemporist.com meantime showcased in its website an avant-garde designed concrete home.“The architect designed the house to be built from concrete, and kept it unfinished throughout the home, inside and out.”

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CNN Style meantime featured in its homepage stunning designs of structures made from concrete.“Concrete is for more than car parks and roadways. From the Roman Pantheon to the Sydney Opera House, concrete — the world’s most widely used man-made material — has long been employed to create some of the world’s most memorable spaces.”

“Prepare the surface you’re painting. Clean off lose bits of debris that have stuck to the concrete. If there is any oil on the surface, use a strong detergent and wash it down thoroughly. Let it dry completely before starting your paint job! Any moisture trapped between the paint and the concrete could cause it to blister. “

Uncomplicated Concrete Painting Procedure

DIY Network meantime shared a step-by-step guide on how to paint a concrete floor.

“The concrete floor must be completely dry before beginning this project. If your floor shows any signs of water seepage, the source of the water must be eliminated before starting. Some of the materials used for this project require special masks and other equipment, due to fumes. Please read all product labels carefully. Allow the floor to dry thoroughly after each coating is applied. Thoroughly wash floor with a degreasing solution. Rinse several times until mop is clean. Allow to dry for several days.”

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Rawlinspaints meantime shared the best types of paints and primers to use on patios and concrete driveways.

“Don’t let your block paving get into a state. If you want it to look good you need to take care of it. Be sure to pull up weeds and deter and plant life that may cause problems for your paving. This product rejuvenates old paving, protects against loss of colour through UV light, resists oil and stain penetration and inhibits weed and algae growth.”

“While they are atypical, unorthodox, and endearingly rare, the following seven buildings explore South Korea’s emerging design culture and conceptual design approaches. With innovative spatial arrangements and material combinations, the structures are drawn across various scales, typologies, and contexts. Examining the human experience of envelopes and transitions, each project establishes real and perceived boundaries between interior and exterior space. Just as concrete’s character changes based on its aggregates, these South Korean projects begin to express the country’s architectural, social, and cultural values through the lens of local sites.”

Out of this world

Architectural Digest meantime shared a concrete structure that is literally out of this world.

“Formulated to survive Mars’s harsh conditions—subzero temperatures, low gravity, and thin atmosphere—the concrete is a mixture of Martian soil and molten sulfur that can easily be remelted and recycled. And most important, it can be made without water, which will be in limited supply in a human settlement. The breakthrough, although years ahead of any practical use, will make the future human explorers of Mars less dependent on shipments from Earth. It also creates an opportunity for a new wave of design: Engineers can turn to mud-brick houses and other earthen construction to inspire structural development on Mars.”

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IEEE Spectrum meantime shared about an ultra-modern concrete structure this time built by robots.

“As long as you keep feeding it bricks, it can work continuously, placing 1,000 bricks an hour based on a CAD drawing. This works out to the shell of a new house every two or three days, complete with channels for plumbing and electrical. The whole system is mobile (although it relies on external localization), meaning that you can use it pretty much anywhere. And with a development cost of just $7 million, it might actually be commercially viable.”

Kitchen Remodeling

Kitchen remodeling, especially a large scale one requires professional services such as a contractor.

Carrying it out single-handedly may just result into a financial disaster and hassle that could have been prevented if professionals have handled it.

Kitchen renovations can remain within the budget as long as there is a mindful and realistic planning on the remodeling goals vis-à-vis financial considerations of the project. National Ready Mix Concrete Association

The website Domain.com.au for instance gave homeowners an idea on what a $20,000.00 budget can do.

“A $20,000 budget lets you design a custom kitchen with stone benchtops. However, Preston says it’s still important to take care with your budget. Her tip is to remember that doors are more expensive than drawers. ‘Where we live and how we live is fundamental to our wellbeing and, as a separate idea, our kitchens are probably one of the most used and abused areas, so I think it’s really worth investing the time to research and plan your kitchen well.’”

Know the limits

My Domaine answered that question. “Small changes such as a new faucet, a fresh dinnerware set, or window treatments can alter the vibe of your kitchen in a big way. It’s always best to see these types of additions in person so you can feel their texture and see how they look offline. When considering appliances, however, it’s best to research first online.”

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The Sommervilles Showroom meantime shared what can be done with a $20,000 budget.

“Consider bigger interior design changes. Installing a kitchen’s worth of brand-new cabinetry is spendy, so Myers suggests focusing on upper cabinetry. Or eschew upper cabinets altogether in favor of open shelving.(2) Make the backsplash a focal point by adding tile all the way up to your cabinets. (3) Lusting after a new double oven? You may be able to afford it. Complete appliance packages can run $6,000 to $11,000, Myers says. You’ll usually get a deal when you buy them all together, but an individual piece won’t bust your budget.”

All about Room Remodeling

Renovating a room can be a gargantuan task, so before embarking on such an endeavor, careful research, planning, and close coordinating with a contractor of choice are important tasks that has to be done.

Edith and Evelyn Vintage shared a room renovation that could inspire any homeowner.

“The first thing we did in this room was scrape the popcorn ceiling. Then we removed carpeting, and installed wide plank, hand scraped, oak hardwood floors. Just those two things made a major impact. But we didn’t stop there. Next to the fireplace there was a built in bookcase {see above photo}. Interestingly, it only took up half of the wall, leaving the rest of the space empty. It made the entire wall look a little off. Working with a tight budget, and trying reuse and re-purpose wherever we could, hubby cut the bookcase in half, and then took the top half and used it as a base to extend the cabinet across the entire wall. He trimmed it out, built doors, and added shelves. Now it fills the entire wall to the left of the fireplace, balancing out the space beautifully.”

“West London-based McLaren Excell has completely overhauled the building in Dorset, England. Named Merrydown, it was originally built as a girls’ school in the 19th century, but had been used as a residence since the 1950s.”

Anecdotes on Concrete Driveways

Concrete driveways have their share of anecdotes. Some happy, some sad, others vicious, or plain weird.Just like this driveway in Suburban New York, where instead of vehicles, a CESSNA Plane is parked on one homeowner’s driveway as reported by Fox News. National Ready Mix Concrete Association

“A suburban New York homeowner has angered neighbors on his quiet street because he is using his driveway as a hangar for his small plane. MyFoxNY also reports that Harold Guretzky is facing huge fines for parking his Cessna in front of the garage of his Long Island home. The station said Guretzky is going through a divorce.”

Intimidating Neighbors

Top Gear meantime gave tips to homeowners whose concrete driveways are being blocked by the neighbors’ cars.

“How about posting a really intimidating warning sign? You know Pinoy drivers: They often need to be screamed at just to get the point. Two other readers sent us a pair of photos that show how to psychologically mess with illegal parkers. With signs like these, we guarantee the incidence of cars blocking your gate will go down significantly.”